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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 




i BULLETIN No. 884 



^"L^'^W*. 



Contribution from the Forest Service 
WILLIAM B. GREELEY, Forester 




J^^^'^U 



Washington, D. C. 



October 12, 1920 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 

By W. D. Brush, Scientific Assistant. 



CONTENTS. 



Importance 1 

The wood 1 

General appearance 1 

Properties 3 

Structure 4 

Supply and demand 5 

Range and size of tree 5 

Commercial supply 5 

Lumber production 8 

Consumption of sycamore 8 

Utilization by industries 9 

Boxes and crates 10 

Slack cooperage 13 

Furniture and fixtures 14 

Planing mill products 15 

Butchers' blocks 15 

Musical instruments 10 



Utilization by industries — Continued. 

Agricultural implements 16 

Carpet sweepers 16 

Trunks 16 

Shade rollers 16 

Handles 16 

Sewing machines 17 

Wooden ware and novelties 17 

Other factory uses '. 17 

Fuel 18 

Lumber and timber values :: ^ ..... ^ 18 

Lumber prices 18 

Stumpage and log prices 19 

Markets 21 

Grading rules 22 

Summary and conclusions 23 

Appendix 24 



IMPORTANCE. 



Sycamore is one of the important commercial woods of the United 
States, and is of special value for use in certain containers, such as 
slack barrels and plug- tobacco boxes. It ranks low, however, in 
amount consumed, for about 25 native woods, including 13 hard- 
woods, are used in larger quantities. 

This bulletin gives information on the supply of sycamore, on the 
conditions attendant on its manufacture, and on how it may be used 
most advantageously. 

THE WOOD. 

GENERAL APPEARANCE. 

Sycamore, in general, is a uniformly colored, clean-looking wood, 
and therefore presents a good appearance when manufactured. The 
heartwood is brown tinged with red; the sapwood is lighter. Plain- 
sawed sycamore has little figure, excepting the lighter-colored bands 
which mark off the annual-growth layers from each other. It usually 

185338°— 20— Bull. 884 1 



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BULLETIIsr 884, U. S. DEPAETMEIS^T OF AGRICULTURE. 




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UTILIZATION or SYCAMORE. 6 

has also a slightiy mottled appearance, due to the large medullary 
rays. In quarter-sawed wood these rays are very conspicuous and 
resemble the figure in quartered oak. The effect produced in quarter- 
sawed sycamore is decidedly different, however, from that in quarter- 
sawed oak, principally because the rays are darker than the rest of 
the wood, while in oak, as in most other w^oods, they are lighter. 
Sycamore takes several different finishes in a very attractive mamier. 

PROPERTIES. 

Sycamore wood is moderately hard, moderately heavy, moderately 
stiff, moderately strong, has moderately good shock-resisting ability, 
and is difficult to split. It shrinks moderately and is inclined to 
warp, but not excessively, in seasoning. Table 1 gives the results of 
a large number of tests on sycamore wood from two different locali- 
ties. Material for these tests was taken from five trees in each 
locality. 

From Table 2 it appears that on the average sycamore shrinks a 
little more than white oak in the radial direction, a trifle less in volume, 
and considerably less in the tangential direction. The ratio of 
radial to tangential shrinkage is much less in sycamore (1 to 1.49) 
than in white oak (1 to 1.84). 

Table 2. — Average properties of sycamore wood as compared with white oak. 

[Oak=100.] 

Per cent. 

Specific gra\'ity 76. 7 

Shrinkage : 

Volume 99. 3 

Radial 104. 1 

Tangential ^ 84. 4 

Strength in bending 75. 2 

Strength in compression parallel to grain 82. 7 

Strength in compression perpendicular to grain 61. 9 

Stiffness 80. 9 

Hardness 58. 2 

Shock-resisting ability 56. 4 

Shearing strength parallel to grain 76. 6 

The specific gravitj^ of dry sycamore is only about tliree-fourths 
that of white oak. Although in respect to the different mechanical 
properties sycamore ranks lower than white oak, compared on the 
basis of dry weight, or specific gravity when dry, sycamore excels the 
oak m strength in compression parallel to the gram, and in stiffness; 
is about equal to it in shearing strength parallel to grain and strength 
m bending; and is below it in strength in compression perpendicular 
to gram, hardness, and shock-resisting ability. 

Sycamore wood is not durable, the average life of the mitreated 
lumber in the United States in exposed situations being placed at 
from three to five years. The life of any individual stick, however, 



4 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGPJCULTUEE. 

may vary from this figure, depending on the quality of the wood and 
the conditions in which it is placed. 

Sycamore does not impart odor or taste to substances in contact 
with it, nor does it stain them. This quahty, together with its 
moderate degree of strength and the difficulty in splittmg the wood, 
makes it particularly suitable for certain kinds of containers. 



Table 3. — Average computed weight {in pounds) of 


sycamore in different forms. 




l-inch 
lum- 
ber, 
per 
1.000 
feet, 
b. m. 


Cord, 

90 

cubic 

feet 

(solid 

wood). 


Doyle log rule. 


Scribner log rule. 




Diameter of logs — inches. 


Diameter of logs— inches. 




6 


12 


18 


24 


6 


12 


18 


24 




1,000 feet, log scale. ' 1,000 feet log scale. 


Sycamore, green . . 


4,300 4 700 


55,600 
38,000 


12,000 
8,200 


8,400 
5,700 


7 100 1^ 400 


9 700 7 -nn 


7 000 


Sycamore- air-dry 


3,000 


3,200 


4 '800 


8,400 


6,600 


5,300 


4,800 



Table 3 gives the average computed weight of 1,000 board feet 
of 1-inch lumber, of a cord of wood, and of logs per 1,000 board 
feet as scaled by the Doyle and Scribner log rules. The cord used 
in this table is composed of 90 cubic feet of solid wood. The official 
standard weight of the National Hardwood Lumber Association for 
rough sycamore lumber 1 inch thick is 3,000 pounds per 1,000 board 
feet, which corresponds with the computed weight of 1-inch air-dry 
lumber as shown in the table. The standard weight of the Associa- 
tion for green sycamore lumber 1 inch is 4,750 poimds per 1,000 
board feet. 

STRUCTURE. 

Sycamore is a "diffuse porous" wood; that is, the pores or vessels 
of the wood are all nearly the same size and quite evenly distributed 




lar 



i Beech 1 Sycamore ! Birch i 

Fig. 1.— Wood of beech, sycamore, and birch, a, broad ray of sycamore; c, d, narrow ray of beech and 

birch; ar, annual ring. 

throughout each annual layer or ring of growth, and the annual 
rings are marked off from each other by light-colored lines. The 
medullary rays are numerous and conspicuous and practicall}^ all 



UTILIZATIOlSr OF SYCAMORE. 5 

broad. Figure 1 shows the differences in structure in beecli, syca- 
more, and birch, which are all diffuse porous woods. In beech, as 
in sycamore, there are broad rays; but in beech there are many 
narrow rays and the broad rays are unevenly spaced, whereas in 
sycamore they are evenly spaced. In birch the rays are all narrow. 
Plate I is a photograph of a cross section of sycamore wood. 

SUPPLY AND DEMAND. 

RANGE AND SIZE OF TREE. 

Practically all of our native sycamore wood comes from a single 
species, Platanus occidentalis, which grows throughout nearly all of 
the eastern half of the United States (fig. 2). Other names applied 
to the tree are buttonwood and buttonball. Two other species 
occur in the western part of the United States, but these are unim- 
portant commercially, yielding only a small amount of timber for 
local purposes. The common eastern sycamore usually grows to a 
height of from 75 to 110 feet and a diameter of from 2 to 5 feet. 
There are records of sycamores measuring up to 14 feet in diameter 
and 140 feet in height, and a few such trees are still found. It is, 
therefore, the largest hardwood of the United States in size of trunk, 
but not in height. 

Sycamore trees do not, as a rule, yield a large amount of the 
highest quality timber because of the shortness of the clear length 
of stems. Large logs are frequently shaky and often hollow, and 
on. this account there is a high percentage of waste in the manu- 
facture of lumber and veneer. Logs over 20 inches in diameter are 
likely to be very defective. Smaller second-growth logs are usually 
c[uite sound. The southern sycamore is said to be often badly 
affected ^\dth worm holes, which makes it unsuitable for most uses. 
(See PL II.) 

COMMERCIAL SUPPLY. 

The principal supply of sycamore is from that part of the central 
hardwood region which includes West Virginia and Missouri, the 
States lying between them, and Arkansas and Tennessee. The 
greatest supply of sycamore is located along river bottoms in the 
Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and along the large streams tributary 
to these rivers. 

The principal center of the sycamore industry seems to be at 
present located near the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. 
Much sycamore is available in this region along these streams and 
their large tributaries, and, therefore, many factories using large 
amounts of sycamore are located near by. The factories are usually 
located on the rivers and get their sycamore logs in rafts. The 
logs are placed in the water at different points along the streams, 
and are collected by a man with a power boat, who assembles them 
into rafts and tows them to the factory. Considerable quantities 



6 



BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



of sycamore are secured in this way along the lower Tennessee and 
Cumberland Rivers. Factories located on the lower Ohio River 
can usually get a sufficient supply for their needs. In other regions, 
however, factories seeking large amounts of sycamore are generally 
unable to get a sufficient quantity and have been greatly incon- 
venienced by lack of a steady supply. In most cases such factories 
have been obliged to a considerable degree to substitute other woods 
for svcamore. 




Pig. 2. — Distribution of the sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis). 

Sycamore timber is so widely scattered and in compact bodies so 
small that an accurate estimate of the stand is impossible. Sycamore 
is a bottom-land tree, and its favorite habitat is along river banks 
and on islands which rise above the surface of the water at low 
stages. The tree, is thus doubly useful in protecting river banks 
from washing and in providing useful timber. Its choice of location 
is a strong factor in keeping up the supply, since it grows extensively 
on land which is unsuitable for cultivation. There is, of course, 
less sycamore in the country than there was before the fertile valleys 
were cleared. A future limited supply is assured, however, from 
areas that are not useful for agricultural purposes. 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 



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BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



LUMBER PRODUCTION. 

Table 4 gives the reported production of sycamore lumber for 
different years by States. According to these figures, there has been 
a decided decrease in the cut in recent years. The decrease is not 
so great as appears from the figures, however, since the census 
reports subsequent to 1909 are not so complete as for that year, and 
a large number of small mills by which much of the supply of syca- 
more lumber is produced are not included in the later reports. 

There is considerable fluctuation in the amounts of sycamore 
lumber produced by the same State in successive years. This is 
due, in part, to the transportation of logs by streams which form 
boundaries of different States in the sycamore region, the logs going 
sometimes to a mill in one State and sometimes to a mill in another 
State. The variation is also probably due to an irregularity in the 
supply, since the timber, being confined so largely to river bottoms, 
is logged mainly as timber operations chance to be carried on in such 
situations. 

CONSUMPTION OF SYCAMORE. 

Little sycamore is used in the rough for such purposes as building 
construction, ties', etc. It goes principally, therefore, to factories 
for the manufacture of various products. Considerable amounts are 
doubtless cut into firewood, but statistics are not available to show 
the extent of this use. Sycamore is widely distributed, and much of 
it is applied to general farm uses, although many other woods are 
more valuable for such purposes. 

Table 5. — Number of mills reporting lumber cut of sycamore in the different States, 
arranged in order of lumber cut in 1918. 



state. 


1907 


1908 


1909 


1910 


1911 


1912 


1913 


1914 


1915 


1916 


1917 


1918 


Total. 


1,505 


2,079 


2,964 


12.325 


1,904 


2,211 


659 


603 


876 


931 


904 


775 




Arkansas 


25 
379 
113 
233 
20(5 
217 
a 

24S 
a 
a 
a 


51 
476 
125 
286 
270 
230 

17 
301 

"'47' 

42 

6 

29 

11 

47 

65 

49 

3 

a 

a 

6 


83 

633 

201 

501 

357 

279 

29 

338 

6 

80 

86 

10 

36 

22 

72 

95 

40 

'\ 

a 
3 


58 

440 

149 

- 410 

277 

199 

30 

327 

4 

67 

75 

19 

29 

14 

68 

70 

33 

17 

4 

a 

a 


60 

370 

111 

373 

234 

167 

11 

254 

3 

50 

51 

8 

16 

14 

41 

54 

32 

16 

4 

3 

4 

a 

a 

a 


62 

383 

142 

415 

274 

209 

15 

303 

6 

60 

59 

13 

26 

18 

50 

68 

42 

18 

5 

3 

7 

a 

a 

a 


31 

129 

37 

140 

70 

64 

4 

84 

. 3 

15 

14 

6 

5 

a 

7 

8 

7 

17 

a 

3 

3 

3 

a 


31 

146 
41 
66 
76 
65 

8 
48 

6 
33 
12 

3 
19 

9 

5 
11 

9 

5 

"" "3" 

a 

4 

a 


42 

199 

80 

104 

105 

47 

10 

94 

7 

17 

31 

6 

29 

13 

8 

24 

17 

16 

3 

a 

a 

3 

4 




55 

204 
74 
95 

111 
48 
14 

107 
10 
18 
27 
7 
24 
16 
13 
32 
27 
21 

a 
5 


8 

a 


59 

198 
93 
87 

109 
43 
32 
88 
14 
14 
37 
10 
19 
12 
10 
23 
17 
14 


7 

a 
9 

a 


54 


Indiana 


157 


Tennessee 


74 


Missouri 


71 


Ohio 


100 


Illinois 


38 


Mississippi 


27 


Kentucky 


93 


Louisiana 


12 


Oklahoma 


14 


Virginia 


25 


Georgia 


6 


Maryland 


a 


18 


Alabama 


9 


Michigan... 


a 
a 
a 
a 


13 


West Virginia 


21 


Penns ylyania 


11 


North Carolina 


11 


Texas 




South Carolina 


a 
a 


5 


Connecticut 


3 


New York 




New Jersey 




5 


4 


3 


Florida 






Delaware 
















Massachusetts 




a 


a 


a 




a 
a 










New Hampsliire 














Vermont 










a 
22 
a 
6 












Iowa '. 




7 
a 
6 


51 
3 

4 


21 
3 

4 


23 
3 


a 
3 
6 


a 


12 


8 
3 
4 


9 


7 


7 


TJ'aTiSfi.s 




3 


All other States 3 


84 


3 


5 


5 







1 Not including New York. 

2 Number of mills cutting this species not reported. 



3 Including those marked "a." 



U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate I. 




Photomicrograph of a Transverse Section of Sycamore Wood. 

a. r., annual ring or yearly growth layer; T'', vessels or pores of early or spring wood: T'2, vessels 
of late or siiininerwood; m. r., medullary or pith rays which extend in the radial direction and 
give the figure in tlie quartered wood. 



Bui. 884, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate II. 




Fig. I.— Large Sycamore Logs in a Mill Yard in the Lower Ohio Valley. 

Note the 2-foot rule. The three logs at the top are very sound for their size and are especially 
^•aluable for rotary veneer for tobacco boxes or baslcets. The two lower logs show bad checks 
and ring shakes, and should be cut into lumber for furniture, etc. 



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Fig. 2.— Sycamore Logs of Different Sizes. 

Two-foot rule at end of large log. Small sound logs are valuable for slack staves. Large 1 
are mostly defective, having rotten centers, deep checks, and ring shakes. 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 



UTILIZATION BY INDUSTRIES. 

Statistics were collected by the Forest Service during the years 
1909 to 1913 on amounts of different woods consumed by factories. 
All industries using considerable amounts of sycamore were * covered, 
with the exception of the slack cooperage industiy. Statistics on 
the use of sycamore in this indusury, prepared by the Bureau of the 
Census, are available for the year 1909. These data show a factory 
consumption of sycamore of over 33,000,000 board feet. 

Sycamore is used in the largest quantities by those States which 
are in the immediate region of the greatest supply — namely, Ken- 
tucky, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Indiana, and Tennessee. On 
account of the great tobacco industries located in Virginia and 
North Carolina, these S,tates also use large amounts. Accurate 
figures on the amount used by each State can not be obtained, for 
the reason that some manufacturing firms have factories in different 
States. Certain quantities of sycamore lumber and plywood stock 
are shipped from one factory to another, and the amount used by 
each factory is not reported separately. It is estimated that about 
90 per cent of all the sycamore used by factories is consumed in the 
eight States mentioned. 

Table 6. — Use of sycamore in factories in the United States, by industries. Compiled 
from reports for years betiveen 1909 and 1913, inclusive. 



Industry. 



Quantity 

used 
annually. 



Per cent. 



Boxes and crates 

Slack cooperage 

Furniture and fixtures 

Planing-mill products: Sash, doors, blinds, and general mUlwork . 

Butchers ' blocks 

Musical Instruments 

Agricultural implements 

Carpet sweepers 

Trimks 



Shade and map rollers 

Handles 

Sewing machines 

Woodenware and novelties. . . 

Toys 

Brushes 

Vehicles and vehicle parts 

Ship and boat building , 

Saddles and harness , 

Sporting and athletic goods. . . 
Frames and molding, picture. 
Laundry appliances! 



Feet b. 

17, 131 

7,266 

3,499 

1,723 

1,600 

301 

290 

270 

255 

202 

156 

150 

107 

91 

71 

62 

- 38: 

34 
30 
30 

2 



693 

,000 

226 

550 

;ooo 

600 
000 

;ooo 

000 
,000 
,000 
000 
;500 
,343 
,300 
,600 
000 
,500 
500 
000 
000 



51.42 
21.81 
10.51 
5.17 
4.80 
.91 
.87 
.81 
.77 
.61 
.47 
.45 
.32 
.27 
.22 
.19 
.11 
.10 
.09 
.09 
.01 



Total 33, 318, 812 



100.00 



Table 6 gives the quantities of sycamore used annually and the 
proportions, as reported by different wood-using industries. These 
figures are in terms of amounts consiuned, except those for slack 
cooperage, which give the amounts produced. Since these data were 
compiled from reports for years between 1909 and 1913, inclusive, 
they do not represent accurately the present amounts used. They 
185338°— 20— Bull. 884 2 



10 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

do, however, show the relative unportance of the different industries 
in sycamore utilization. 

The largest amount of sycamore goes into the box and crate 
industry, and slack cooperage uses the next 'largest quantity. About 
three-fourths of the entire amount goes into these two mdustries. 
The use of sycamore for furniture and fixtures is an important one, 
the annual consumption being more than 10 per cent of the total. 
Two classes of uses (1) planing-mill products, sash, doors, blinds, 
and general millwork, and (2) butchers' blocks — each consumed 
about 5 per cent of the total. These five industries used about 94 
per cent of the entire amomit reported by factories. 

From 100,000 to 300,000 board feet were consumed annually by 
manufacturers of each of the following: Musical instruments, agricul- 
tural implements, brooms and carpet sweepers, trunks and valises, 
shade and map rollers, handles, sewing machines, woodenware. The 
other eight industries given in Table 6 — namely, toys, brushes, vehi- 
cles, and vehicle parts, ship and boat building, saddles and harness, 
sporting and athletic goods, picture frames and molding, and laun- 
dry appliances — used small amomits totalmg only about 1 per cent 
of that reported for all industries. 

The prices paid for sycamore by these different industries ranged 
from $12 per 1,000 board feet for butchers' blocks to $32 per 1,000 
for carpet sweepers. In the case of the former, material was pur- 
chased in the log, and low-grade material could be used. For the 
latter, the quartered wood was largely used, and this brought a 
comparatively high price. 

The average price paid for sycamore by manufacturers was $18 
per 1,000 board feet. All prices are given f. o. b. factory. Reports 
on cost of raw material were not secured from slack cooperage plants, 
and the average cost of sycamore for such uses is, therefore, not 
available. 

A list of products made of sycamore, arranged by industries, is 
shown in the appendix, 

BOXES AND CRATES. 

Sycamore is favored for boxes to hold certain products which are 
easily contaminated by contact with most woods. It has long been 
the favorite wood for boxes for plug tobacco, which is easily stained 
and acquires an unpleasant taste and odor from many woods. It is 
considered the most suitable wood for this purpose, not only because 
of its noncontaminating qualities but also because of its moderate 
degree of strength and its attractive appearance. More sycamore is 
used for boxes for plug tobacco than for any other product. Tobacco 
boxes were formerly made of solid wood and were nailed together, 
and sycamore served well because it did not split easily. Now, how- 
ever, they are commonly made of plywood, glued together and lock- 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 11 

cornered. Sycamore is well adapted for this also because it cuts 
well, makes a strong veneer, and glues well. 

Red gum has largely displaced sycamore for tobacco boxes in 
recent years, chiefly on accoimt of the scarcity of sycamore. Red 
gum not only does not contaminate the tobacco, but has the added 
advantage of cutting into plywood more easily, and therefore faster 
than the sycamore. The gum splits more readily, but this difficulty 
is obviated by lock-cornering in place of nailing. Red gum, how- 
ever, does not make so attractive a box, and tobacco manufacturers 
have had considerable trouble in getting the trade to accept it 
because there was a suspicion that the grade of tobacco contained 
in the gum box was inferior. Sycamore is often used for the more 
conspicuous outer plywood pieces, but gum is being mixed with it 
more and more for such pieces, since the tobacco-box makers often 
can not get a sufficient supply of sycamore even for the outside ply. 

Both red gum and sycamore are cut into veneer by the rotary proc- 
ess, the thickness depending on the box to be made from it. Tobacco, 
boxes are usually made from thick ply. The veneer is cut into large 
sheets which are kiln-dried. There is less waste if the sheets are not 
put under pressure in the drying process, and for this reason they are 
dried on edge. After drying they are glued and held together 
under pressure until the glue is dry. On account of the greater 
warping of red gum there is greater resultant waste because of splits. 
This is more than compensated for, however, by the greater pro- 
portion of clear material obtained from large gum logs than from 
large sycamore logs, which are almost invariably defective. AU 
sheets which have holes or checks running thi'ough them are thrown 
out. Those mth small defects are glued together with clear pieces. 
Gum plywood stock is usually separated into light and dark grades, 
the lighter-colored wood giving the best appearance. 

When thin ply is glued together, the grain in one sheet runs at 
right angles to that in the adjacent sheet. In thick ply, however, 
as one-quarter inch, the grain of the different sheets runs in the same 
direction. If glued with the grain running at right angles, such 
thick sheets are apt to pull apart. The sheets, as they are cut 
from the log, are glued together, face to face or back to back, in 
relation to the center of the log, so that the warping in one wiU be 
offset by that in the other, as it tends to take place in the same direc- 
tion in the different sheets. 

The caddy is one of the most common forms of tobacco box. This 
is square at the ends and is usually made of two-ply material about 
one-quarter inch thick and lock-cornered. Ordinarily, the only 
nails used are those in the strips which hold in the top and bottom 
heads. This makes a very strong box. 



12 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Tobacco boxes are also made of a single thickness of lialf-incb 
material strongly reinforced. They are made with inset bottopis and 
are usually nailed together hj machines. Such boxes are often 
used for fine-cut tobacco, Avhich is packed in them by machines. 

Fruit and vegetable baskets and packages and egg cases are often 
made of sycamore. These are composed of thin veneer. Sycamore 
is favored because it veneere well, is clean-looking and uniformly 
colored, has considerable strength in this form, and is not so brash 
when dry as some woods, such as red gum, which are used in place of 
it. Beech and maple, however, are usually considered as satisfactory 
as sycamore. The veneered splints of the ordinary market basket 
and the bottom boards in bushels and half bushels are often made 
from sycamore in place of elm. 

Basket makers consider sycamore the best wood available for the 
piece forming the sides of octagon beny boxes. This type of box 
is shown in Plate III. The piece forming the sides must be bent 
in eight places, and, in order that it may bend successfully, a V-shaped 
scoring is made across the piece for one-half its thickness. The 
scoring, therefore, is not merely a rough scratch, as in the ordinary 
berry box. This type of berry box is used in the western United 
States mainly for fancy berries, and it displays the fruit well. It is 
made in pints and half pints, the latter mainly for red raspberries. 
The sides and bottoms must be first dried in order that they may be 
shipped flat. They are later bent in the dry state when the boxes 
are assembled. Sycamore, when dry, will stand such treatment 
without breaking more successfully than almost any other wood. 
Its good appearance is also a strong point in its favor. Yellow poplar 
is a good wood for this purpose, but it is much liigher priced. The 
average price paid for sycamore for baskets and fruit packages in 
Illinois was $11.56 per 1,000 board feet, as compared Avith $18.22 
for yellow poplar. 

There are at least two serious objections to the use of sycamore 
for sliipping boxes. An extremely light-colored wood, on wliich 
stenciling and WTitmg show well, is usuaUy preferred, since manu- 
facturers often advertise their products on the boxes in wliich they 
are shipped. Its relatively greater weight, in comparison ^^dtll many 
other suitable woods, is another objection, as it increases shipping 
costs. The use of sycamore for boxes is, therefore, usually confined 
to certain smaller ones, such as have been described. 

The foUomng States use the largest amounts of sycamore in the 
manufacture of boxes and crates of all kinds: Kentucky, Missouri, 
North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, and Illinois. Reports show a 
use of over a million feet annually in each of these States. Indiana 
also uses large, but less amounts in this industry. All of these 
States, with the exception of North Carolina and Virginia, have 



Bui. 884, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate III. 



tm 




Berry Box, Octagon Form. 

Piece forming the sides is of sycamore. It bends at scorings without breaking. At top, bottom 

piece of red gum. 



Bui. 884, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate IV. 




Slats of Sycamore for Backs of Low-Priced Chairs. 

Sycamore holds its shape, finishes easily, and has a good appearance. 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMOEE. 13 

largo supplies of sycamore readily available. The tobacco interests 
are responsible for the large amounts used in the two last-mentioned 
States. More than half of the approximately one million feet of 
sycamore reported by Illinois factories went into baskets and fruit 
packages. 

Sycamore seems to stand small chance as box material m the futm-e 
in competition with red gum, on account of the hirge amounts of 
red gum readily available. The amount of sycamore reported for 
this industry (approximately 17,000,000 feet) is small in comparison 
with the 409,000,000 feet of red gum reported; and there is probably 
less sycamore being used now than when this amount was reported. 
An average cost of $16.50 per 1,000 board feet at the factory was 
repf>rted for sycamore for boxes and crates, as compared mth about 
$14 for red gum. The fact that somewhat more is paid for sycamore 
than for red gum for these uses shows that there is still a good demand 
for sycamore. 

SLACK COOPERAGE. 

Statistics of the Bureau of the Census on the slack cooperage 
industry for 1909 show a production of 17,831,000 sycamore staves 
and 661,000 sets of sycamore heading in that year. Forest Service 
statistics for 1918 give a production of 21,384,000 staves and 319,000 
sets of heading, an equivalent of over 7,000,000 board feet. Syca- 
more is a good wood for staves and heading for the same reason as 
for boxes. It makes a clean, good-looking, strong barrel, and is, 
therefore, in demand for sugar and flour barrels, especially for the 
former, which are used more than once. Staves of the highest grade 
go principally into these two kinds of barrels. They must have a 
clean appearance and must make a tight jomt. The sycamore stave 
fulfills these requirements and has the additional advantage of hold- 
ing the hoop well because it has a slightly roughened surface. 

Slack staves are cut out from steamed bolts. They are brought 
against the knife by a carriage which is pivoted and moves in the 
arc of a circle, giving the staves their curved form. They are cut 
nearly or quite on the quarter, which gives a minimum amount of 
warping and splitting, since shiinkage in the radial direction is much 
less than in the tangential. The edges of the staves must be cut at 
a slight angle in order to make a fairly tight joint. This is now done 
by a band saw instead of a loiife, as formerly, since the knife leaves 
more or less ragged edges. 

Sycamore staves of high grade are generally a little lower priced 
than elm staves and a little higher than gum. Number 2 grade is 
usually made up of mixed woods and is used in barrels for packing 
crockery, glassware, and provisions of various kinds. 

The following States reported relatively large amounts of sycamore 
slack cooperage manufactured: IVIissouii, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illi- 



14 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

nois, Indiana, and Tennessee. The principal supply of sycamore also 
comes from, these six States. Sycamore slack cooperage stock is 
evidently, therefore, manufactured near the source of supply. 

FURMTURE AND FIXTURES. 

The greater part of the sycamore employed in furniture and fixtures 
is in the form of plain-sawed lumber. Much of it is manufactured 
into common furniture, such as is used for kitchens, pantries, porches,^ 
and verandas. Slats for the backs of cheap chairs are made of syca- 
more (Plate IV). Large quantities of these chairs are made in the 
lower Ohio Valley. Elm and red gum are used for this purpose along 
with sycamore, because they all hold their shape well after they are 
steamed and bent. Light and dark pieces are kept separate and not 
used together in the same chair, since this detracts from its appear- 
ance. Factories making cheap chairs generally use much low-grade 
material. 

Since it does not impart taste, odor, or stain, sycamore is used for 
shelving, sides, and bottoms of kitchen cabinets, and for refrigerators. 
Of the total amount reported for this industry, 340,000 feet were 
used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture, including kitchen 
tables. There is some objection to its use for the tops of such tables, 
on account of its liability to warp. 

Sycamore constitutes a not inconsiderable portion of the interior 
and hidden parts of more expensive furniture. It is very useful for 
drawer sides, backs and bottoms, shelves and pigeonholes, partitions 
and compartments, guides, and linings. It is also used as core mate- 
rial on which veneer is glued. It finds place in such situations, 
because it is not a high-priced wood and not because of any superiority 
over many other woods used \yith. it or replaced by it. 

Quarter-sawed sycamore for outside pieces is higher-class material 
and is used for the same purpose as more expensive woods. Quarter 
sawing produces a different effect in sycamore from that in most of 
the oaks because of its dark-colored medullary rays. The so-called 
"silver grain," which in oak is lighter than the rest of the wood, in 
sycamore is darker, producing a peculiar effect which is often admired. 
The quarter-sawed stock is used in solid pieces and in the form of 
veneer, and is frequently made into panels. Sycamore is also cut 
into plain veneer for panelwork. 

Sj^camore in one form or another is used in practically all classes 
of furniture. A large demand comes from makers of bm-eaus, chif- 
foniers, bedsteads, folding beds, tables, china closets, music cabinets, 
bookcases, and filing cabinets. Sycamore is also used for office fix- 
tures and furniture, for which the quarter-sawed wood is especially 
appropriate. 

An average price of about $23 per 1,000 board feet at the factory 
was reported for raw material for this class of uses. This is a higher 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 15 

price than was reported for red gum for the same uses, but consider- 
ably less than for birch and maple. 

PLANING-MILL PRODUCTS, SASH, DOORS, BLINDS, AND GENERAL MILLWORK. 

The striking figure shown by sycamore when quarter -sawed makes 
a demand for it for planing-mill products, sash, doors, blinds, and 
general millwork. Its principal use in this industry is for the inte- 
rior finish of houses and stores, includmg flooring. It is also used in 
considerable amounts for cabinetwork. One of the most showy uses 
of quarter-sawed sycamore is for mantels where panels, columns, 
brackets, shelves, and tops are combined. Stair rails, newel posts, 
spindles, capitals, and grillwork call for some of the best grades of 
this wood. There is also a demand for it for sash and blinds. 

Sycamore is desirable for doors, casing, and base. It is much in 
favor at the present time for door panels m the form of plain veneer. 
Sycamore panels of built-up veneer are preferable to those of solid 
wood because of the tendency of the solid wood to warp and twist. 
Some figure can be obtained in the plain wood, but in order to get 
the striking figure ejffects peculiar to the wood it must be quartered. 
The sycamore door panel is said to go well with a pine frame, a birch 
frame, or a frame veneered with sycamore. 

Sycamore is used in largest amounts for these purposes in Illinois, 
Ohio, and Tennessee. Prices reported for sycamore lumber used for 
this class of products averaged approximately the same as those for 
furniture and fixtures — about $23 per 1,000 feet f. o. b. the factory. 

BUTCHERS' BLOCKS. 

One of the important uses of sycamore for many years has been 
for the butcher's block, which usually consists of a bolt of the de- 
sired size sawed from the trunk of a tree. It is sometimes mounted 
on stout legs. Sycamore is selected for this article because it does 
not split or check readily in seasoning. Some checking, however, 
takes place and the block, therefore, becomes insanitary. Built-up 
maple blocks composed of thoroughly seasoned pieces held together 
by glue and bolts have largely displaced the sycamore block. One of 
the common methods used in making the sycamore block is to bore 
out a large hole in the center and drive in a large round plug. This 
has the effect of closing up checks and shakes in the wood. Large 
logs with ring shakes are utilized by this method. It is doubtful, 
however, whether such defective material makes a very satisfactory 
meat block. 

Practically all of the 1,600,000 board feet of sycamore reported for 
butchers' blocks is credited to Illinois. The present annual use is 
doubtless much less on account of the substitution of the maple 
block. About 2,000,000 feet of maple was reported as consumed 
annually on the United States for the same purpose. The cost of 



16 BULLETIN 884, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

material for sycamore blocks is low, since they are made directly 
from the log. The average price reported was approximately $12 
per 1,000 board feet at the factory. This is the lowest cost of syca- 
m.ore reported for any industry. 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 

Over 300,000 feet of sycamore was reported as used annually for 
musical instruments. It is largely utilized for the interior frame 
parts and braces of pianos and organs because of its fair degree of 
strength and its moderate cost. Quarter-sawed wood is occasionally 
used for the outside cases. The average price reported for these 
purposes was $15 per 1,000 board feet. This is about $3 per 1,000 
below the average price reported and mdicates that not much of the 
higher grades of lumber was used. 

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. 

Sycamore is used for parts of agricultural implements mainly on 
account of its availability and not because it has any particular 
qualifications for such purposes. Its use is principally for minor 
parts of such implements as thi'ashing machines, including hoppers, 
compartments, boxes, and chutes. For these products 290,000 board 
feet were reported as used annually. 

CARPET SWEEPERS. 

The greater part of the sycamore reported for carpet sweepers 
went into the outside pieces of the cases because of the peculiar and 
attractive figiu-e of sycamore when quarter-sawed. Aii unusually 
high average price, $32, was reported for sycamore used fot these 
articles, showing that for the most part a high-quality of wood was 
demanded. 

TRUNKS. 

Sycamore is used in trunks chiefly for the slats. Elm makes the 
best trunk slat on account of its excellent shock-resisting ability. 
vSycamore possesses this quality to a less degree but is a fairly satis- 
factory substitute. 

SHADE ROLLERS. 

Curtain poles and Venetian blinds are often m.ade of sycamore 
wood. Its good finishing qualities make it popular for such prod- 
ucts. For the 202,000 board feet reported, an average price of $15.40 
was paid. 

HANDLES. 

Sycamore is sometimes made into long handles of light agricultural 
tools, such as hoes and rakes. For such purposes it is, however, in- 
ferior to other woods more commonly used for these products, such 
as ash and hickory. Saw handles are also occasionally made of 
sycamore. A low average price, $14, was paid for sycamore used 
for these products. 



UTILIZATION or SYCAMORE. 



17 



SEWING MACHINES. 

Sewing-machine cabinets are often made of sycamore. It is used 
chiefly in the form of quartered wood for the outside finish. This 
makes an attractive cabinet because of the striking figure, and its 
appearance is generally admired. Plain-sawed wood is also used, 
which is usually finished like oak and birch. The average price re- 
ported for sycamore by manufacturers of sewing machines was $18 
per 1,000 board feet. 

WOODENWARE AND NOVELTIES. 

Under woodenware and novelties are included a large number of 
small articles that can not be properly classified under the other 
industries. Important among these articles are paper-roll plugs (fig. 
3). They are connected in pairs by a stick and are used for hold- 




FiG. 3 ■ 



-Paper roll plugs of sycamore connected by a cylindrical piece of softwood. 
roUs of wrapping paper. 



Used for holding 



ing rolls of paper, chiefly wrapping paper, for grocers, druggists, and 
others. Of all the woods commonly used for tliis purpose, sycamore 
is said to be the most suitable because it readily takes a smooth 
finish, has a clean appearance, and is very cheap. Maple is also a 
good wood for this use, except that it is more expensive. Gum, elm, 
and ash are also commonly used. Slabs are cut into squares, which 
are run through a machine. Tlie ends of the squares are rounded 
and tapered, bored out, and cut off by this machine. The plugs are 
dried and polished by being rolled against each other, the friction 
giving them a smooth finish. They are turned out in carload 
quantities. The other articles included under this heading — cheese 
supports and stereoscopes — are made only occasionally of sycamore. 
A low average price, $13 per 1,000 board feet at the factory, was 
reported by manufacturers for these uses. 

OTHER FACTORY USES. 

Sycamore is used in a small way by a large number of other wood- 
using industries. The entire amount reported was only about 1 per 
cent of the total. This went into toys, brush blocks, vehicles, ships 
and boats (chiefly for the inside finish), saddles and ox yokes, sporting 
and athletic goods, picture frames and molding, and washing-machine 
parts. Sycamore is used to a limited extent for second-grade axles, 



18 



BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



poles, and reaches of vehicles, but is much inferior to species more 
commonly used for these parts, as hickory and oak. 

FUEL. 

Sycamore trees are well adapted for conversion, wholly or in part, 
into fuel wood because they are to a great extent made up of large 
limbs which are not suitable for other purposes. Sycamore wood, 
however, does not have so high a heating value as many other woods, 
as, for instance, oak and beech. A standard cord of these, made up 
of 4-foot sticks in a pile 8 feet long and 4 feet high, is approximately 
equivalent in heating value to 1 ton of coal. About 1^ standard 
cords of sycamore are necessary to give the heating value of 1 ton of 
coal. This puts sycamore in the class of red gum and soft maple. 

No statistics are available on the amount of sycamore used for fuel. 
Smce the tree is so Avidely distributed and is quite prevalent along 
streams and on overflow land which can not be cultivated, and 
since, moreover, the wood is not especially difficult to convert into 
cordwood and is a satisfactory fuel wood, considerable quantities 
are doubtless used locally by farmers for this purpose. 

LUMBER AND TIMBER VALUES. 

LUMBER PRICES. 

The average value of sycamore lumber f. o. b. mills is secured by 
the Forest Service from manufacturers' reports on annual lumber 
production. This value is given, by States and years, in Table 7. 

Table 7. — Average value of sycamore lumber per 1,000 board feet f. o. b. mills, in different 

States, for different years. 



State. 


1899 


1904 


1907 


1908 


1909 


1910 


1911 


1915 


1916 


1917 


1918 


United States 


.$11.04 


S13. 1^ 


$14.58 


S14. 67 


$14. 77 


$14. 10 


$13. 16 


S13. 86 


$14. 65 


$18.68 


$23.59 


Arkansas 


9.49 
12.05 

9.75 
12.00 
11.20 
12. 55 

9.74 
10.19 
11.49 
10.00 
14.00 


9.49 
14.26 
12.65 

'ii.'os' 

14.65 
12.81 
14.13 

'ii.'se' 

11.63 


13.10 
16.71 
14.70 
14.42 
13.14 
16.92 
12.43 
15.25 
11.54 
10.00 
13.88 
15.82 
18.00 
11.00 


12.78 
17.78 
12. 67 
15.24 
13.33 
16. 46 
13.01 
13.60 
12.35 
11.75 
12.81 
10.00 
10.53 

iisi' 

15.00 
14.59 
17.41 
19.00 
10.00 


15.27 
17.20 
13.15 
13.48 
12.87 
18.08 
13.12 
14.94 
10.91 
14.30 
12.52 
11.44 
11.67 
12.11 
14.74 
13.10 
15.01 
16.35 
22.73 
12.76 


12.81 
16.65 
12.21 
13. 75 
11.65 
17.38 
13.37 
14.68 

'i2.'45' 
12.40 
13. 75 
13.92 
12.00 
11.56 


12.21 
15.19 
12.04 

'ii.'ee' 

15.02 
12.05 
16.93 
11.67 

ii'si' 

14.15 
12.20 


13.72 
14.36 
12.66 
15.73 
13.17 
15.53 
14.55 
14.88 
11.28 
12.11 
11.83 
12.03 
11.37 


12.73 
18.15 
12.51 
17.15 
14.48 
18.53 
14.10 
14.23 
9.45 
15.47 
13.57 
11.68 
11.29 
14.25 
16.22 
13.65 
17.68 
18.27 
19.67 
13.97 
20.00 
15.00 
17.50 
14.50 
17.50 


16. 28 
22.01 
20.97 
16.59 
16.64 
21.13 
16.55 
23.62 
15.69 
16.94 
17.10 
16. 93 
14.47 
19. 08 
18.56 
16.00 
17.40 
22. 34 
21.25 
21.40 
17.75 
19. 46 
15.00 
18.00 
35.00 


23.29 




29.05 


Tennessee 


22.12 




20.26 




21.35 


Ohio 


26.80 




19.48 


Illinois 


23.04 


Virginia 


20.05 


Mississippi 


24.63 


Oklahoma 


20.11 


North Carolina 


24.24 






21.93 






23.98 








11.50 


'i'i'.m 

15.97 
19.58 
17.21 
13.57 
16. 00 
14.02 


24.21 






12.00 
18.71 
21.32 
20.00 
10.43 


8.00 
16.95 
15.74 




24.00 


Pennsylvania 




15. 75 
16.27 
18. 63 
14.00 
15. 00 
15.13 
16.67 


13.87 
14.33 
18.50 
9.13 


26. 64 


Micliigan 


11.33 
15.00 


25.00 


Iowa , 


25.00 


Alabama 


21.16 




15.36 


19.44 


Texas 






16.00 


17.00 
16.00 
19.90 
17.47 


22.51 




13.28 






16.50 






20.00 


14.59 
30.00 




15.00 
16.50 


32.19 













40.00 















UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 



19 



The present wholesale prices of different grades of plain and 
quarter-sawed sycamore lumber in the principal centers of its dis- 
tribution are given in Table 8. 

STUMPAGE AND LOG PRICES. 

Figures showing the value of standing sycamore timber for differ- 
ent years are not available. Since the tree occurs in such small 
stands and is usually cut along with other species, a fair price for the 
sycamore alone is difficult to determine. 

Cooperage factories find it to their advantage to buy tracts of 
mixed hardwood timber at a convenient distance and cut and bring 
it to the mill. Such timber tracts have sold in Arkansas for $1.50 
per 1,000 board feet log scale, including sycamore and several other 
species. In normal times the sycamore has been logged and trans- 
ported by railroad to the factory at a cost of from $5 to $6 per 1,000 
board feet, m.aking a total cost to the factory of about $7 per 1,000. 
Factories similarly situated and not owning their timber have gen- 
erally paid from $2 to $3 more per 1,000 board feet for sj^camore. 
High-grade sycamore logs cost considerably more. 

Table 8. — Average wholesale prices of 1-inch sycamore lumber in representative centers 
of its distribution and utilization, by quarter years. 

[Prices furnished by the Lumbermen's Bureau.] 



Centers. 



1917 



1919 



NEW YORK. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds . . 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds . . 

No. 1 common 

NORFOLK & RICHMOND 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds. . 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds - . 

No. 1 common 

EVANSVILLE. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds. . 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log rim 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds . . 

No. 1 common 



$38.33 
28.00 
23.50 
19.17 
28.50 

53.00 
42.67 



31.67 
24.00 

18.17 
14.17 
24.50 

47.00 
42.33 



32.17 
23.17 
16.33 
12.33 
29.83 

46.67 
36.67 



$40.00 
31.00 
25.67 
20.67 
31.67 

55.67 
45.67 



36.00 
27.00 
21.67 
16.67 
27.67 

49.67 
39.67 



34.17 
25.17 
18.83 
14.83 
25.33 

47.67 
37.67 



$43.00 
34.00 
28.00 
29.00 



$43.00 
34.00 
28. 00 
29,00 



34.00 34.67 



54.00 
44.00 



39.00 
30.00 
24.00 
20.00 



53.67 
43.67 



39.00 
30.00 
24.00 
20.00 



30.00 30.67 



50.00 
40.00 



37.00 
28.00 
22.00 
18.00 
28.00 

48. 00 
38.00 



49.67 
39.67 



$43. 33 
34.33 
28.33 
29.33 
35.33 

53.00 
43.00 



39.33 
30.33 
24.33 
20.33 
31.33 

49.00 
39.00 



37.00 37.33 

28.00 28.33 

18.00 18.33 

28.00 28.33 



47.67 
37.67 



$44.83 
35.83 
29. 83 
30.83 
36.83 

53.85 
43.83 



40.67 
31.67 
25.67 
21.67 
32.67 

49.67 
39.67 



38.83 
29.83 
19.83 
29.83 



.$46. 50 
37.83 
31.50 
32. .50 
38. 50 

56.50 
46.50 



42.50 
33.83 
27.50 
23.50 
34.50 

52.50 
42.50 



40.50 
31.83 

22.83 
28.17 



$41.83144.50 
36.83 
31.83 
30.17 



36.83 



$50. 50 
40.50 
30.50 



39.50 
34.50 
29.50 
39.50 39.50 



$52.83 
36.17 
32.83 



$61.67 
41.67 
40.67 



59.83 62.50 
49.83 52.50 



37.83 
32.83 
27.83 
22.83 
33.17 

55.83 
45.83 



35.83 
30.83 
25.83 
20.83 



47.00 
37.00 



47.83 
37.83 



50.50 
40.50 



53.83 
43.83 



40.50 
36.17 
30.50 
25. .50 
36.50 

58.50 
48.50 



38.50 
33.50 

28.50 
23. 50 
34.50 

56.50 
46.50 



58.50 
48.50 



46.50 
36.50 
26.50 



43.50 



62.50 
45.83 



50.17 
40.17 
33.17 



71.67 
51.67 



59.67 
49.67 
48.67 



36.50 



54.50 

44.50 



44.50 
34.50 
24.50 



63.17 
53.17 



45.83 
35.50 
25.50 



49.67 



79.67 
69.67 



54.00 
43.67 
32.67 



34.50 



36.50 



52.50 55.17 
42.50 45.17 



43.67 



63.67 
53.67 



20 



BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Table 8. — Average wholesale 'prices of 1-inch sycamore lumber in representative centers 
of its distribution and utilization, by quarter years — Continued. 



Centers. 



1917 



1918 



CHICAGO. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds 
No. 1 common. . .. 
No. 2 common. ... 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds 
No. 1 common 

ST. LOUIS. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common . 

No. 3 common . . . . 
Lognm 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds 
No. 1 common 

KjVnsas city. 



4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds. 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds. 

No. 1 common 



?33..33 
24.33 
20.50 
16.50 
24.83 

48.33 
38.33 



31.50 
22.50 
16. 67 
12. 67 
23.00 

46.17 
36.17 



$36.00 
27.00 
21.67 
17.67 
27.67 

49.67 
39.67 



33.50 
24.50 
19.17 
15.17 
25.17 

47.17 
37.17 



$39.00 
30.00 
24.00 
20.00 
30.00 

50.00 
40.00 



36.50 
27.50 
21.50 
17.50 
27.50 

47.50 
37.50 



$39.00 
30. 00 
24.00 
20.00 
30.67 

49.67 
39.67 



36.50 
27.50 
21.50 
17.50 
27.50 

47.50 
37.50 



$39.33 
30.33 
24.33 
20.33 
31.33 



$40.83 
31.83 
25.83 
21.83 
32.83 



49.00 49.83 
39.00 39.83 



$43.00 
34.33 
28. 00 
24.00 
35.33 

53.00 
43.00 



36.83 38.33 
27.50. 28.33 



21.8;i 
17.83 
27.83 

46.50 
36.50 



34.17 35. 50 
25.17 26.50 



LOS ANGELES, SAN FRAN- 
CISCO, AND SEATTLE. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

CAIRO AND THEBES. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 common 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

MEIIPHIS. 

4/4 plain: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 

No. 2 conunon 

No. 3 common 

Log run 

4/4 quartered: 

Firsts and seconds 

No. 1 common 



18.33 
14.33 
26.17 

48.67 
38.67 



54.33 



61.67 



29.83 
20.83 
17.00 
13.00 
24.00 

44.83 
34.83 



27.67 
18.67 
14.83 
10.83 
20.17 



20.17 
16.17 
27.00 



38.00 38.00! 38.33 
29.00 29.00! 29.33 



23.00 
19.00 
29.00 



49.00 49.00 
39.00 39.00 



56.00 
40.50 



62.67 
52.50 



52.00 
43.00 



63.00 
53.00 



23.00 23. 33 
19.00| 19.33 
29.67! 30.33 

! 

49.001 48.00 
39.00 38.00 



52.00| 52.33 
43.00! 43.33 



63.00 
53.00 



32.50 35.50 35.50 

23.50! 26.50J 26.50 

18.17 20.50 20.50 

14.17 16.50 16.50 

24.17 26.50 27.17 

46.17: 46.50! 46.50 
36.17 36.50 36.50 



30.00 33.00! 33.00 
21.00| 24.00! 24.00 
15.67; IS.OOi 18.00 
11.67 14.00 14.00 
21.67 24.00 24.67 



62.00 
52.00 



35.83 
26.83 
20.83 
16.83 
27.83 

45. 50 
35.50 



33.00 
24.00 
18.00 
14.00 
25.00 



40.00 
30.33 
25. 00 
21.00 



23.33 
19 33 
29.33 31.33 

47.33 50.00 
37.33 40.00 



39.83 42.00 
30.83' 33.33 



$38.33 
33.33 
28 33 
23.. 33 
34.33 

56.33 
46.33 



35.33 
29.33 
25.33 
20.33 
30.33 



$41.00 
36.00 
31.00 
26.00 
37.00 

59.00 
49.00 



38.00 
32.67 
28.00 
23.00 
33.67 



$47.00 
37.00 
27. 00 



$49. 00 
39.00 
29.00 



$57.67 
47.67 
36.67 



37.00 



55.00 
45.00 



44.00 
34.00 
24.00 



33.33 



58.67 
48.67 



46.00 
36.17 
26.00 



37.67 



67.67 
57.67 



54.67 
45.17 
33.67 



24.83 
20.83 
31.83 

48.83 
38.83 



27.00 
23.00 
34.00 

52.00 
42.00 



53.83 58.67 
44.83 49.00 



62.83 
52.83 



37.17 
28. 17 
22.17 
18.17 
29.17 

46.50 
36.17 



34.83 
25.83 
19.83 
15.83 
26.83 



67.67 
57.67 



38.00 
29.33 
23.00 
19.00 
30.33 

48.00 
38.00 



35. 50 
26.83 
20.50 
16.50 
27.83 



42.67 43.67 44.00 43.67 43.00 43.83 45.50 48.83 51.50 47.50 50.83 59.67 
32.67 33.67 34. OO' 33.67' 33.00 33.83 35.50 38.83' 41.50 37.50 40.83 49.67 



53.33 56.00 
43.33 46.00 



37.33 40.00 
32.33 35.00 
27.33, 30.00 
22.331 25.00 
32.33! 35.00 



34.00 



52.00 
42.00 



46.00 
36.00 
26.00 



55.67 
45.67 



64.67 
54.67 



48.00 56.67 
38.00 43.33 
28.00, 35.67 



55.33 
45.33 



58.00 
48.00 



59.33 62.00 
52.00 56.00 



35.00 



54.00 
44.00 



68.00 
57.00 



57.67 66.67 
47.671 56.67 



68.00 
57.50 



74.33 
64.33 



77.00 
67.00 



33.33 36.00 
28.33, 31.00 
23.33i 26.00 
18.33 21.00 
29.33 32.00 

51.33 54.00 
41.33 44.00 



30.83 33.50 

25.83 28.50 

20.83 23.50 

15.83 18.50 

26.83 29.50 



73.00 
63.00 



42.00 
32.00 
22.00 



74.50 
64.50 



44.25 
34.25 
24.25 



32.00 



50.00 
40.00 



37.87 
29.50 
19.50 



34.25 



52.25 
42.25 



41.17 
31.17 
21.17 



75.67 
05.67 



85.67 
75.67 



.54.17 
44.17 
33.17 



44.17 



64.17 
54.17 



49.67 
39.67 
26.00 



29.50 



32.17 39.67 



UTILIZATIOIT OF SYCAMOEE. 



21 



Table 8. — Average ivholesale prices of 1-inch sycamore lumber in representative centers 
of its distribution and utilization, by quarter years — Continued. 





1917. 


1918. 


1919. 


Centers. 


3 
C 

.1 


m 
3 

ft 

o 
o 


3 


g 


1 

4-3 


1 


3 
■3.2 


§■. 

o 


1 


c3 
3 

O 


C3 
3 


B 

■S » 

3 
o 


Lo^^s^^LLE. 
4 '4 plain: 




$34.50 
25.50 
19.75 
15. 75 
24.50 

47.50 
37.50 


$37.00 
28.00 
22.00 
18.00 
28.00 

48.00 
38.00 


$37.00 
28.00 
18.00 
28.00 


$37.00 
28.00 
18.00 
28.00 


$38.83 
29.83 
19.83 
29.83 


$40. 50 
31.83 
22.83 
28.17 
31.50 

50.50 
40.50 


$35.83 
30.83 
25.83 
20.83 
30.50 

53.83 
43.83 


$38.50 
33.50 
28.50 
23.50 
34.50 

56.50 
46.50 


$44. 50 $45. 83 
34.50 35. 50 
24.50 25.50 


$54. 17 


No. 1 common ' 


43.67 




32.67 


No. 3 common ' 






$22.00 


34.50 

52., 50 
42.50 


36.50 

55.17 

45.17 


43.67 


4/4 quartered: 


47.67 
37.67 


47.00 
37.00 


47.83 
37.83 


63.67 


No. 1 common 




53.67 









Sycamore logs are often secured in rafts, but the price does not 
differ greatly from, that of logs delivered by railroad. In the region 
of Cairo, 111., it is said to cost about $5 per 1,000 board-feet log scale 
to bring the timber to the factory from points up the rivers where it is 
collected. 

MARKETS. 

Sycamore is usually sold in the log, since factories consuming large 
amounts can generally make use of it to best advantage in that form. 
Much of it is marketed in rafts to factories on the lower Ohio and 
Mississippi Rivers. It has often been sold to factories in mixture 
with other species, such as red gum, cottonwood, elm, and ash, for 
from $8 to $10 per 1,000 board-feet log scale for all species. Stave 
and heading factories have generally paid from SIO to $12 per 1,000 
for sycamore logs of fairly good quality, but the price is quite variable, 
depending for the most part on the quality. 

Factories do not usually care for sycamore logs larger than 24 
inches in diameter at the most ; for the larger logs are Ukely to have 
ring shakes, hollow centers, and liidden defects. Basket factories 
prefer a diameter of from 16 to 20 inches, although they can often use 
sizes as small as 10 inches. Stave factories can use small logs to good 
advantage and prefer sizes that measure between 10 and 15 inches in 
diameter when cut into bolts. Factories making berry boxes and 
tobacco boxes aft'ord the best markets for sycamore logs of good 
quality. In these markets they should bring from $15 to $20 per 
1,000 board feet in normal times. Some factories have paid as much 
as $22 per 1,000 for high grade logs. Sycamore logs can usually be 
sold to chair factories at a fairly good price. Large defective logs 
could formerly be disposed of to makers of butchers' blocks, but so 
few of the old-fashioned sycamore blocks are now made that there is 
practically no market for them for this purpose. The best way to 
dispose of such logs, if they are not too defective, is to convert them 
into lumber. 



22 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Furniture and tobacco box factories afford a good market for 
sycamore lumber. They generally use 4/4 and 5/4 plain sycamore of 
the No. 1 common and better grades. Fm-niture factories generally 
use quartered stock. Manufacturers of cheap chairs can utilize low- 
grade lumber. They buy tliick planks and use all grades except cull. 
Planing-mill, sash, door, blind, and general milhvork factories often 
use sycamore in the form of lumber. 

GRADING RULES. 

Sycamore lumber is graded under the Xational Hardwood Lumber 
Association Rules. There are separate classifications for plain and 
quartered sycamore. Lengths are from 4 to 16 feet, but not over 15 
per cent of odd lengths are admitted. Thicknesses are f, f , h, f , |, 1, 
IJ, H, If, 2, 2*, 3, 3h, 4, 4i, 5, 5*, and 6 inches. Widths are 3 inches 
and over. 

Plain sycamore is graded under the same rules as beech, birch, hard 
maple, and hackberry, and the grades are as follows: Firsts, seconds, 
selects. No. 1 common, No. 2 common, wormy, and No. 3 common. 
Inspection is made on the poor side of each piece. Firsts are 6 inches 
and over wide, 8 feet and over long, and pieces with 4 to 9 feet surface 
measure must be clear. Larger pieces can have one or two standard 
defects, depending on the size of the piece. Seconds are 6 inches and 
over wide, 8 feet and over long, and can have from one to five standard 
defects according to size of the piece. Firsts and seconds are gener- 
ally combined as one grade and designated as "FAS.'' In tliis com- 
bined grade not more than 20 per cent of the pieces can be under 12 
feet long and not more than 10 per cent of 8 and 9 foot lengths are 
allowed. Selects are 4 inches and over wide, 6 feet and over long, 
admitting 30 per cent under 12 feet long and 5 per cent of 6 and 7 foot 
lengths. In general, pieces in tliis grade must be practically or 
nearly clear on the best face and the reverse side must be up to the 
No. 1 common grade. No. 1 commons are 3 inches and over wide, 
with not to exceed 5 per cent of 3-inch \\'idths, and 4 feet and over 
long, with not over 30 per cent shorter than 10 feet and not to exceed 
10 per cent of 4 and 5 feet lengths. Pieces 4 and 5 feet long, and 3 
and 4 inches wide 6 and 7 feet long must be clear. Larger pieces 
must work 66f per cent clear fiice in not over 2, 3, or 4 cuttings de- 
pending on Avddth and length of piece with specified minimum sizes 
of cuttings. No. 2 commons are 3 inches and over wide, 4 feet and 
over long, with not more than 10 per cent of 4 and 5 feet lengths 
admitted. Pieces must work 50 per cent clear face in not over 3, 4, 
or 5 cuttings (not less than 3 inches wide and 2 feet long) accorchng to 
size of piece. In wormy grade pin-worm holes are not considered a 
defect, and it is a combination of all grades included in No. 2 common 
and better. No. 3 commons are 3 inches and over wide, 4 feet and 
over long, and each piece must contain at least 25 per cent of sound 
cuttings of a minimum width of 1 \ inches and a minimum area of 36 
square inches. 



UTILIZATION OF SYCAMORE. 23 

The grading rules for quarter-sawed sycamore are the same as for 
plain-sawed except that the combined grade of firsts and seconds 
and selects must show figure on one face not less than 90 per cent in 
the aggregate and the cuttings in No. 1 common and No. 2 common 
must show figure on one face. There is a slight difference also in the 
grade No. 1 common, the rules for plain sycamore allowing a large 
number of cuttings in the longest pieces. 

Association log grades have not been formulated for sycamore, 
since it is so largely purchased for special uses, and the value of any 
particular log depends to a great extent not only upon its size and 
quality but also upon what is to be manufactured from it. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 

Although neither a high-priced nor a plentiful wood, sycamore is 
w^ell regarded for certain uses. It is particularly in demand for such 
containers as slack barrels and plug-tobacco boxes because it does 
not impart stain, taste, or odor, has a clean and pleasing appear- 
ance, is fairly strong, and works and seasons well. Quarter-sawed 
material is desirable for the outside fuiish of various products. 

There would be a good market for sycamore if a sufficient and 
constant supply could be assured. However, on accomit of the occa- 
sional occurrence of the timber the supply is irregular, and recently 
there seems to have been less of it available than in former years. 
Red gum is being substituted for sycamore to a very large extent for 
tobacco boxes and slack staves, and, with improved methods in 
worlving and seasoning, has proved satisfactory to a degree, although 
it does not present so good an appearance. 

There will probably always be considerable though occasional sup- 
plies of sycamore available, since the tree occupies flood lands and 
areas along the streams not suitable for cultivation. Although many 
other trees are worth more in the market, sycamore is valuable to 
the agriculturist along streams for keeping his land from wasliing, 
and its growth should, therefore, be encouraged in such situations. 

Sycamore can usually be most readily disposed of in the log to 
factories making berry boxes, tobacco boxes, and slack cooperage. 
Large logs are, as a rule, not so valuable on accomit of large defects. 
Furniture factories usually afford the best market for sycamore 
limiber, both plain and quartered. Factories making inside finish 
materials also use comparatively large quantities. 

Owners of sycamore timber seeking a suitable market for their 
product should make inquiry as to possible local markets for the 
raw material, the firms that use it, the form desired at the factory, 
and the prices paid both for logs and for semi-finished products. 
They should also obtain information about specifications, the prep- 
aration of stock, seasoning, sliipping instructions, quotations, etc., 
from different industries located in their vicinity. For information 
on local markets or those relatively near by, they should write the 
forestry officials of their 'own States. 



24 BULLETIN 884, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

APPENDIX. 

CLASSIFIED LIST OF USES REPORTED FOR SYCAMORE BY FACTORIES. 

Agricultural implements. — ^Agricultural implements, lioxes, chutes, compartments, 
hoppers, tlu'asliing machines. 

Boxes and crates. — ^Basket parts; baskets, fruit; baskets, grape; baskets, stave; 
baskets, vegetable; bottle, packing; box shooks; boxes; boxes, cigar; boxes, tobacco; 
boxes, veneer; cases, berry; cases, egg; cases, tobacco; cases, tomato; crates, bottle; 
crates, onion; crating; heading, fruit package; hoppers, fruit; hoppers, vegetable; 
packages, fruit; packages, vegetable; slats, fruit package. 

Carpet sweepers. — Carpet-sweeper cases, carpet sweepers. 

Brushes. — Brush blocks. 

Butchers' blocks. — Blocks, butchers'; blocks meat. 

Equipment, playground. — Horses, merry-go-round. 

Frames and molding, picture. — Frames, picture; molding, picture. 

Furniture. — Bin sides, kitchen cabinet; bed slats; beds, folding; bookcases; bureaus; 
chairs; chiffoniers; china closets; consoles; cores, bank fixtures; cores, store fixtures; 
counters, bar; desk drawers; desks; drawer backs; drawer bottoms; drawer sides; 
fixtures, bank; fixtures, office; fixtures, store; foot stools; furniture, bedroom; furniture, 
case goods; furniture, kitchen; ice boxes; mirror backing; music cabinets; partition, 
kitchen cabinets; pigeonholes, desk; refrigerators! rockers; shelves, kitchen cabinet; 
showcases; side rails, bed; stools; table legs; table tops; tables. 

Haiidles. — Handles, hoe; handles, rake; handles, saw. 

Musical instruments. — Guitar bodies; mandolin boxes; organ cases; organs, pipe, 
organs, reed; piano backs; piano cases. 

Planing mill products. — Beams, dining-room ceiling; carpet strips; chair rails; 
ceiling; finish; flat battens; flooring; interior finish; molding; molding, bed; molding, 
brick; molding, cap; molding, cove; molding, crown; molding, door; molding, house; 
molding, plaster; molding, quarter-round; molding, screen; molding, spring cove; 
molding, window; molds, partition; nosing; panel strij^s; plate rails; sheathing; 
shehing; siding; trim; wainscot rails. 

Saddles and harness. — Ox yokes; saddle trees. 

Sash, doors, blinds, and general millworh. — Base blocks; baseboards; base comers; 
blind stops; blinds; brackets; cabinetwork; colonnades; comer blocks; door casing; 
door stops; doors; doors, folding; doors, front; doors, sliding; dust caps; fillet; fly 
screens; frames, door; frames, front door, side light; frames, window; gable ornaments; 
general millwork; grills; head blocks; head casing; jambs, door; mantels; mirrors; 
panels; parting stops; sash; sink aprons; stair work; window aprons; -ndndow casing; 
window stops. 

Shade rollers. — Curtain poles; Venetian blinds. 

Ship and boat building. — Boat parts; boats; cabins, interior, ships and yacnis; 
finish, boats; ships and boats. 

Signs and supplies. — Barber poles. 

Slack cooperage. — Heading; staves. 

Sporting and athletic goods. — Tennis frame reinforcements. 

Toys. — Game boards. 

Trunks and valises. — Trunk slats; trunks. 

Vehicles and vehicle parts. — Carriages; cart trees; step bars, vehicle bodies; vehicle 
sides; wagon bottoms; wagon stock. 

Woodenware and novelties. — Cheese supports; plugs, paper roll; stereoscopes. 

o 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDDm55ESE5 



